Vegetable cutter



1,513,880 J. ASTESANO VEGETABLE CUTTER Nov. 4 1924- Filed June 18. 1923 gnvewf 01 0 J 6cm new Patented Nov. 4, 1924.

UNITED STATES JOSEPH ASTESANO, OF ROANOKE, ILLINOIS.

- i f VEGETABLE CUTTER.

Application filed June 18, 1923. Serial No. 646,148.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, JOSEPH AsTEsANo, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Roanoke, in the county of VVoodford and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Vegetable Cutters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to culinary implements, and more particularly to devices intended for cutting or grating vegetables.

An object of the invention is to provide a vegetable cutter which is readily adaptable to the cutting or grating of various kinds of vegetables, and in which the cut-- ting instrumentality is quickly removable for the substitution of cutting members of different constructions.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a device of simple and relatively inexpensive construction; to provide means for automatically feeding the Vegetable or other article to be cut to the cutting drum, whereby the operator, after once placing the vegetable within the device need merely give his attention to the operation of the cutting drum; to provide for the ready removal of the cutting drum, and to insure a rigid and durable construction which will always be positive in operation and will require a minimum of care and attention for its maintenance in proper working order.

In the drawings, wherein there is disclosed an embodiment of the invention Fig. l is a vertical section,

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 22 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows, and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary elevational viewof a modified form of cutting drum.

Referring to the drawings for a more detailed description, 10 indicates a base or support carrying a pair of standards 11, 12, which support, between them, a housing 13 having an open top through which the material may be introduced into the housing and an outlet or discharge opening 14 in its bottom. The standard 11 has a bearing 15 at its upper end for a stub shaft 16 extending through the wall of the housing, and a boss 17 upon the interior of the housing, which serves as a bearing for the shaft. The standard 12 has a hollow boss 18 through which passes a stub shaft 19 normally urged, by means of a spring 20 engaging a collar 21 on the shaft, into the housing and through a 'boss 22 upon the housing, the

latter serving as a bearing for the shaft in conjunction with the boss 18 upon the end of the standard. The shafts 16 and 17 are adapted to carry a cutting instrument, such as a drum 23, the latter being placed in the housing through its top, and the shaft 19 being retracted by means of a hand grip or head 19 to permit the end of the shaft to be inserted in an axial opening 24 in a head 25 of the drum. The shaft 16 has a squared head 16 which projects into an opening in the opposite head 26, the heads having peripheral rims 27 carrying a metallic cutting sheet 28, in which fin portions 29- are struck up to effect the cutting. It will be noted that the drum is removably supported within the housing by means of the two shafts, 16-, 19, and maybe readily moved' by retracting the shaft 19 to permit the insertion of a different type of cutting drum. In Fig. 3 there is shown a portion of a drum having relatively small cutting project-ions 30 formed thereon, each projection being of substantially frusto-conical shape, as distinguished from the substantially parallel fins or ribs 29 of the drum shown in position within the housing in Figs. 1 and 2.

The drum is operated by means of a hand crank 31 upon a shaft 32 mounted in a boss 33 on the standard 11, the shaft carrying a spur gear 34 meshing with a spur gear fixedly mounted on the end of the shaft 16.

For the purpose of insuring a continuous feed of the material to be cut or grated to the drum, the housing has a cover 36 which may be secured in position by means of spring fingers 37 engaging a rim 37 on the housing. The cover has in association therewith, within the housing, a follower plate 38, which is normally pressed, by means of springs 39, downwardly in the direction of the drum to engage a vegetable which is positioned between the follower and the drum. The follower maintains a yielding pressure upon the vegetable and as the bulk of the latter is decreased during the operation of the drum the vegetable is fed evenly and continuously toward the drum under the pressure of the follower plate. In order to limit the downward movement of the plate and to prevent engagement of the latter with the drum, stops 10 are provided upon the interior of the housing, the edges of the follower engaging these stops when the follower reaches the limit of its downward movement, as

shown, Fig, -2. .,.The cover, 36vjalso carries p nding s ips 1. 2 (having: t r nals lugs 43 which serve to limit the movement of the follower plate under theinfluence of the springs. Lugs 43, when the cover is in position, are located below the stops 410 sorthat they do not interfere with the operation of the follower plate, and; nerely; 1functi;on;

when the cover is removed, together with the ,follower plate.

' In operation, 1 the; 1 vegetable 1 to be. cut ;or

sliced is placed .with-in the housing and; the

cover in then positioned vupon the top of the housing with; the follower plate en-gag-- ing the vegetablej The drum is then open-- ated-lry-v means of the crank 31 which results in the cutting; of the vegetable, and the dis,- charge, of; theportions thereof -through; the openinglh It willlbe noted thattlliS: open-'- g isfpesitiqnedein the. bofiomot the lions-e giai tlzthei ntting poz ione naturally tate,; to the: opening due to the. inclination ofthe bottom -jwall; 1,14 utowar d the 1 open- 1 ing;, Additionally, the centrifugal action of the; drumitends .to throw the portions. down;

wardly, and, these .two iforceswinsure. :the quickremovel. of thecut vegetable so that the a normal, action of. the. cutting instru-i mentsis not impeded, -t

It should vbe understood vthat numerous modificatiQns. may ,bQ'I-Tlrldfl in the illustrated and;1describedastructure .avithout departing from thekscope of thez-i-nyention;lgwhich is more precisely defined in the following removably 1 carried by; SZLlCla shafts; yielding means for ,PITGSSiHgaOHB' of, saidz shafts, into engagement twi-th said i dnum 3 the shaft ,:be;-- 8; l gitudinally mOYRbIQTScIddjhousing having. 3.11: inlet; opening; above the drum: and, a discharge pening gingits bottom below the. drnnn; a cover; for said inletn opening,

a guide carried byasaicl-j coveruand;.clepende;

ingginto theahousing a spring; pressed fol-g5 lower @associated with said; guide; mean-iron: said guide; for limiting the; movement-,1of the, follower away, fromesaid Cover,- 1the; .followe r and guide being remonableuwithtthecover: from the1 housing; j

In testimony-whereof: I have hereunto set; my hand.

JOSEPH As'rEsA-No. 

